Daydreaming... or something else?
It’s been a few weeks since Winnie’s angioplasty and she has been recovering nicely, physically. Her surgical incision is healing well and she seems to be feeling better. I talked to Mary, her in-home caregiver, and found out that although her body is healing, this attack has really affected her mentally.
Winnie has always been the light to Otto’s dark. She never leaves the house without perfectly applied makeup and is always well dressed and “put together”. Winnie has always been quick to offer a smile or a hug. She is a bubbly ray of sunshine and can always make you feel like everything will be ok. From what Mary told me during our last phone conversation Winnie has changed.
Mary and I have talked a lot about Winnie. How she was when she was younger and what a sweet and beautiful woman she is now. Mary told me that when she stopped by last week she found it odd that Winnie was sitting in the den, in her housecoat, staring out the window. Winnie didn’t even bother to get up to greet her. Mary said that she chalked it up to her recovery but was sure to make a mental note.
This past Friday Mary stopped by for her now bi-weekly visit and was shocked to find Winnie in the state she was in. Winnie was wearing the very same rumpled housecoat. Her hair was uncombed and looked like it hadn’t been washed in a while. Winnie’s bed was unmade and the house was cluttered with “stuff”. If a visitor had come to Winnie’s house last year and had seen it (or her) in this state Winnie would have been mortified. Now she just didn’t seem to care.
Mary said that she asked Winnie a few pointed questions about her hygiene and the house. Winnie was vague. “I just haven’t had the time” or “Oh, I forgot” then she would hurriedly (and irritably) change the subject.
Mary asked Otto about Winnie’s change in attitude. Despite his obvious concern, he hadn’t done anything. He just didn’t know what to do. He said that Winnie kept talking about her “arrangements” and what sort of casket she wanted. He was getting worried.
Depression is a common and very real problem, especially after a surgery, death in the family or a personal brush with death. There is a difference between true depression and just being sad.
Some of the symptoms of depression are:
- Feeling sad or crying often (depressed mood)
- Losing interest in daily activities that used to be fun
- Changes in appetite and weight
- Sleeping too much or having trouble sleeping
- Feeling agitated, cranky or sluggish
- Loss of energy
- Feeling very guilty or worthless
- Problems concentrating or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide
If someone has any of the following symptoms two or more times a week for several weeks they may be depressed.
Mary brought up this list to me and told me that she had suggested to Otto and Winnie that she go in for a special appointment with her doctor to talk about it. They have made an appointment for this coming Wednesday. I’ve asked both Mary and Otto for an update. I’m sure one of them will fill me in as soon as they can.
We hope this was helpful. If you have any questions or if you know of a senior that could benefit from our vast array of home care services in Baton Rouge, please call us at 225.819.8338 or email us. Most long-term care insurance policies will reimburse us for our services and we have a team of over 200 bonded and insured CAREGivers covering the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area.
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- Tiny Balloons and Dirty Dishes (batonrouge.myhomecareblog.com)
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- Understanding Depression (josephineosborn.wordpress.com)
